Dowel clasping assembly for poultry crates



July 3, 1951 w, ROBERG 2,559,464

DOWEL CLASPING ASSEMBLY FOR POULTRY CRATES Filed June 29, 1948 Theodore W. Roberg INVENTOR.

Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'DOWEL CLASPING ASSEMBLY FOR POULTRY CRATES 8 Claims.

Another object of this invention is to provide spring members which are recessed in the top and bottom rails, which detachably clasp or clamp the bars between the top and bottom rails, thereby forming a closure for a crate.

Another object of this invention is to provide I various forms of spring clips which may be utilized for this purpose.

Another object of this invention is to provide an extremely simplified device of the character to be described which includes detachably secured bars between the top and bottom rails of a crate, whereby an entrance may be effected easily and conveniently.

Ancillary objects and features of novelty will become apparent to those skilled in the art, fol lowing the description of the preferred forms of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective View of a fragmentary portion of a crate having the invention associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on .a line 3-3 of Figure 2 and in the direction A of the arrows, portions being shown in elevation for clarity;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second form of clamping apparatus;

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on a line 55 of Figure 4 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a third form of the invention, and

Figure '7 is a perspective view of "another resilient clip which may be utilized in association with and forming a part of the invention.

This invention has been developed in order to provide a device which will more effectively provide a closure or opening for a crate which is adapted to maintain poultry.

As is well known there are various ways and means of providing closures in poultry crates. However, it is within the purview of the present invention to provide such a means which in- 'volves the removal of only certain few of the bars normally present in the side or top walls of a crate. By this expedient a closure of any desired size (depending upon the number of bars which are removed) may be effected.

The main feature of the present invention evolves about the detachability of the bars between the top and bottom rails of the conventional sides or top of a crate. Through this expedient only a few or great number of such bars may be removed depending on whether pigeons, chickens or the like are maintained within the poultry crate.

There are various forms of the present invention contemplated herein. The first may be seen best in Figures 1-3, where there is illustrated a top rail [0 and a bottom rail l2. These top and bottom rails in and I2 respectively are purely conventional in their function in that they form a portion of the crate. However, provided in the top and bottom rail is a plurality of sockets or recesses. For illustrative purposes the sockets or recesses and i6 will be referred to in detail. It is noted that the recess I5 is in the bottom rail [2 while the recess I6 is in the top rail IO and, they are vertically opposed.

A pair of metallic jaws I8 and respectively having annular recesses 22 and 24 respectively formed substantially medially thereof are pivotally mounted in each recess l5 and I6. Conventional pivot pins 2t may be used for this purpose.

A spring which is normally in tension 28 is attached to each opposed. jaw l8 and 20 thereby constantly urging the jaws l8 and 2!] to the closing or closed position. However, as is seen in Figure l a bar 30 is placed in the arcuate portions 22 and 2A of each jaw thereby limiting the travel of the jaws relative to each other and also clampingly engaging the bar 30 in place. Thus, the bar is detachably supported by the resil-ient means described above and may be readily removed by simply urging the same toward the open end of the recess l6 and consequently urging the opposite end of the bar 30 towards the open end of the opposed recess [6.

Attention is now directed to Figure 4 and to Figure 5 wherein a second form of the invention is illustrated. This second form of the invention includes of course, the bottom rail l2 and also the top rail l0 (undisclosed) and also includes the jaws 38 and ll] respectively which are identical to the said jaws I8 and 20. The described spring 28 has its counterpart at 42 and is attached to the jaws 38 and 40 in a manner similar to that manner of attaching the spring 28 to the jaws l8 and 20 respectively.

The distinguishing feature of this form of the invention is in the recess 44 which is spaced above the upper plane of the lower rail I2 and spaced below the lower plane of the top rail In. This is done through the expedient of a boss generally indicated at 48 which is attached to the respective rails by means of screws 50 or other suitable, equivalent securing means. The said boss includes a bottom plate 52 and a substantially U- shaped member 54 rigidly attached or if desired, formed integral with the upper surface of the said plate. In this form of the invention a top or closure member'fifl may be supplied on the substantially U-shaped member 54 and of course has a suitable slot 82 therein in order to accommodate the bar 38.

Attention now is directed to Figure 6 wherein a third form of the invention is shown. This third form of the invention includes a recess 68 which is slightly larger than the diameter of one of the bars 30. A spring clip generally indicated at 68 is attached within the recess 88 (which is of course formed in both the upper rails and the lower rails). This spring clip 88 includes a circular portion or bight 10 which axially clampingly engages the bar 30. The opposite end of the spring clip is bent up slightly in order to form a cam 12, which rides on one inner wall of the said recess 68.

The bent spring clip 68 is thus arranged in the recess 66 and is flexed by insertion of one of the bars 30 in the said recess. This flexing permits the bar to pass the highest or peak portion 14 of the spring clip and snap the bar against the curved back portion of the recess 66 and the bight 18 of the said spring clip 88.

Attention is now directed finally to Figure 7 where the fourth and final form of the invention is illustrated. This form of the invention includes the utility of the spring clip generally indicated at 89. This spring clip has a pair of identical members joined integrally together at a mid-point. This mid-point has an aperture 82 therein in order to accommodate a screw or other suitable fastening means.

This form of the invention is of course utilized in association with a recess and the screw for other fastening element positioned in the aperture 82 attaches to the material of either the top or bottom rails within the recesses provided therein for this purpose.

It is seen by inspection of Figure 7 that the said spring clip 80 is symmetrical, each side or half including a raised portion 84 for resiliency, a bight 88 in order to clamp the bar 30 and a relatively straight shank 88 connected to the bight through the medium of a small peak 90. The ends of the said shanks 88 are tapered outwardly as at 92 in order to provide easy ingress said. sockets engaging said bars for detachably 1. In a crate which includes a top and bottom rail with bars between said rails, the improvement which comprises; sockets opening laterally of said rails, resilient means cooperating with said sockets and disposed therein detachably securing said bars to said rails, and said sockets being formed in the material of said rails.

2. In a crate which includes a top and bottom rail with bars between said rails,-said rails having sockets opening laterally of said rails, means carried by the top and bottom rail and disposed in securing said bars within said sockets, and said means including resilient members having a curved portion adjacent to the outer ends of said sockets to guide the bars into said sockets.

3. A crate including sides, each side having top and bottom rails, at least two of said rails having laterally opening recesses therein which also open toward each other, a plurality of bars, resilient means seated in said recesses clampingl engaging said bars and releasably holding the ends of said bars.

4. A crate including a top and bottom rail, said rails having opposed recesses therein, pairs of jaws pivotally mounted in said recesses, and bars detachably secured in said jaws.

5. A crate including a top and bottom rail, said rails having opposed recesses therein, pairs of jaws pivotally mounted in said recesses, bars detachably secured in said jaws, and resilient means constantly urging said jaws in the bar engaging position, said resilient means being seated between said jaws.

6. In a crate including atop and bottom rail, opposed recesses associated with said top and bottom rails, a plurality of bars, and resiliently biased means attached in said recesses detachably and lockingly engaging said bars.

7. In a crate including a top and bottom rail, recesses in said top and bottom rails and opening toward each other, a plurality of bars, resiliently biased means attached to said rails and disposed in said recesses detachably and lockingly engaging the ends of said bars, said resiliently biased means including a spring member having a bight therein with said bights beingdisposed in said recesses so that the ends of said bars are disposed between the sides of said rails.

8. In a crate including a top and bottom rail, opposed recesses associated with said top and bottom rails, a plurality of bars, resiliently biased means attached in said recesses detachably and lockingly engaging said bars, said resilient means including a pair of jaws seated in each recess and a spring urging said jaws to the closed position, and said spring being attached to the jaw members of each pair of jaws.

THEODORE W. ROBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

